


Post Script

by poppetawoppet



Category: Princess Tutu
Genre: Ahiru is a duck, Epistolary, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Rue and Fakir are unlikely friends, Sort Of, and Mytho is around too, bittersweet ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 02:59:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12998379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poppetawoppet/pseuds/poppetawoppet
Summary: Five years after everything ends, Mytho and Rue pay Fakir and Ahiru a visit.





	Post Script

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bienenalster (pinkspider)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkspider/gifts).



Once, there was a princess who loved a duck. Some say they were sisters once, dark and light, and that one gave their life for the other’s happiness. But if one was always a duck, how could they be unhappy? 

_Dear Fakir,_

_I know that we have never been friends. However, we share a friend._

_Mytho—we can call him Mytho, even if his given name will be written in the history books, we know who he is. Mytho is well. I am well._

_Please give my love to Ahiru. I hope you are both content._

_Rue_

“It looks almost the same,” Mytho says as they approach the town.

“Almost,” Rue says.

Five years later, and the town still has five gates, and the school, girls and boys happily walking in their uniforms and whispering about the carriage passing through.

There are new faces, new shops, and the only cats they see dart into the alley and hide when they see someone approach.

They stop outside of town, near a small lake. Fakir waits at the door.

“Fakir,” Mytho smiles and jumps out of the carriage. 

Rue watches as they hug, their arms a little tighter than friends, but just right for brothers. She steps out of her side and cautiously approaches them.

“Rue,” Fakir says, and holds out his arms.

Her heart, already so full, leaps as he holds her close and calls her sister. She wasn’t sure from their letters, but she had hoped that what they had now was true friendship.

“Come in, I have tea.”

“Is—“ Rue stops. “Is Ahiru joining us?”

“Ducks don’t like tea.”

“Fakir.”

He turns, and she is not used to Fakir, of all people, joking. 

“She is inside.”

*

Once, there was a knight who could not protect his prince. They fought different battles in the end, and came out victorious. The prince was rewarded a princess, but the knight was only given more duty. The knight was happy to take it, but did he ever wish for a happily ever after?

_Rue,_

_Ahiru and I are doing fine. I have moved to a small house by a lake just outside of town. I still take ballet classes, and also help tutor the younger students, but most of my time is spent here, writing._

_I keep waiting for her to come tripping into the room, stammering an apology. It is almost too quiet here, but I will take quiet after everything._

_You are right. We have not been friends. We were certainly…allies of a sort, before, but we were both trying so hard to achieve our own goals…_

_She would like it if we were friends._

_Fakir_

After tea, they sit outside and reminisce. Rue holds Ahiru in her arms, a wistful smile on her face. Mytho looks at them both, and the world shines brighter for it.

Fakir remembers how he and Rue shared so much back then. They both would look at Mytho like he was their last hope. Rue would be dismissive if anyone mentioned it, and Fakir would push them away with a brusque rebuke.

“I would like to walk along the lake with Ahiru,” Mytho says.

Rue nods, and Mytho gathers Ahiru into his arms. She is no longer a duckling—her feathers are brown, but her eyes still blue.

“Does he—is he—“ Fakir stops, and watches Mytho stroll along the lake while Ahiru swims close by. “Is it always like that?”

Rue laughs, “Mytho? Not always. He has many more people to spread his love to at home, so it’s not as bright. Here, it’s the three people he loves most, so I suppose to you it must be blinding.”

Fakir nods. “He reminds me of her. When she was. Before.”

Ahiru had made her choice to be a duck, but it does not mean he does not miss the red haired girl who loved everyone, and only wanted the best for them.

“Yes. I wish. I wish I had had more time with her then. Mytho tells me you two were almost always together, towards the end, working to help him.”

Fakir nods. He wishes he could say how much Ahiru had saved him from himself, how much joy she still brought to him, but he finds that he is not much for speaking his feelings, still after all this time.

“We were…allies, “ Fakir says, and Rue laughs. “And then we were friends. Dross—he wanted a tragic ending for her. When Mytho went to save you, and she was all alone, I could think of nothing but my promise to protect her for the rest of her life. I could not say what we are now.”  
“The knight and the duck,” Rue says. “You saved our world. You can be whatever you want, if you choose to write the words.”

Fakir nods, but they both know he will not write the ending most would take. Rue walks over and sits beside him, taking his hand. The sit at the edge of the lake, and speak of princesses, ballet, and stories that don’t involve them.

**

Once, there was a duck that turned into a princess. She only hoped to help others, and when she had achieved her goals, she became a duck once more. Her story had ended, but she was still where she started. Did she ever think to be a princess again?

_Fakir,_

_Mytho and I are coming for a visit. I am glad that your stories are selling well enough for you to live well._

_Your last letter—you seem to be struggling with something. I hope we can speak of it in person if you do not wish to write it. Mytho often says you are his brother, which makes me your sister, and I reserve the right to worry about you._

_I know you are content to spend your days on the lake and write, but as I have been so happy these years, I only wish the same for you and dear Ahiru, that you have some of the same joy I have._

_Just because the story is over, doesn’t mean there can’t be change._

_Rue._

The visit is too short. Duty calls, and they must leave the next day. Rue is ready to be home. She had missed this place, and seeing Fakir and Ahiru again was wonderful, but it was not home.

She is alone with Ahiru for lunch, Mytho and Fakir visiting Karon one more time. 

“You know,” Rue says, “I am a princess. I should be able to—no, it’s just a story.”

Ahiru tilts her head and quacks gently.

“I must try though, just to see.”

Rue picks up Ahiru, and places a gentle kiss on her head. Nothing happens.

“I suppose, if you wished to be a girl again, you would have already figured out how. I should stop trying to make my vision of your happiness come true, shouldn’t I?”

Ahiru quacks again, and places her head on Rue’s shoulder.

“I do miss you very much.”

That night, she dreams of Ahiru.

“Rue-chan,” Ahiru beams and throws herself at Rue.

“Look how you’ve grown!”

Ahiru is as tall as her now, all long limbs, her hair still in a braid down her back.

“You look happy.”

Rue nods. “I am. I—“

“I am happy as well. I know you worry, but I was always a duck. I sometimes miss being a girl, but if you would like, I can ask Fakir to let me come to your dreams again.”

“Wait—this is real?”

Ahiru nods. “Yes. Do you think Mytho would like a visit too? Dreams are much easier for Fakir to control, and they let me be a girl again, for a little while.”

“Wait, do you dream with Fakir a lot? Is that how you—“

Ahiru blushes and looks at her feet, “Noooo—I suppose we could show you, but you would need to wake.”

“I—“

Rue wakes, and hears the back door creep open. She thinks of waking Mytho, but this is for her.

She pulls on her robe, and walks to the back door. The lake reflects the night sky, rippling, and there, by the oak tree, there are two ducks.

“Oh,” she breathes, and blinks away a tear. She leans in the doorway and watches them swim, and her smile is as bright as the moon.  
**

Once there was a man who wrote two stories that were real. One ended in tragedy, and the other in hope. He vowed to never again try to change someone else’s life with a story. But by writing the story itself, he himself changes, does he not?

_Rue,_

_You will get this once you arrive home. What you saw…_

_That is what I was struggling with. I vowed to not interfere in other’s lives, but you were right. I was not happy, and I did not know how to ask for help. The only person I could think to talk to could not give me advice, and then I remembered that my greatest happiness came when I changed myself._

_So I did._

_I’m sure Ahiru will come by a dream now and then, and I promise to try to be truthful as I can. After all, if I cannot share with my sister, who can I share with?_

_I hope to see you soon._

_Fakir_

 

Mytho hugs him one last time, whispering, “You make a handsome, duck, Fakir.”

Fakir laughs, because of course Mytho knew. Rue had said he always knew, when it came to matters of the heart.

“And you, a good prince.”

Mytho laughs,, and how lovely it is to see him laugh, and waits by the carriage for Rue.

Fakir looks back to Rue, who is whispering something to Ahiru. 

“I am glad that you are friends now,” Mytho says. “Your letters are almost like receiving parts of our hearts we did not know we missed.”

Fakir smiles, “I promise I did not write any in blood.”

Rue walks over. “Do I dare ask?”

Fakir shakes his head, and pulls her into a hug. “Thank you for coming. I will try to visit soon.”

Rue pulls away and looks at him. “Good.”

Fakir looks at her, and wonders what would have happened if he had been less angry, and she less reserved, before. But he would not change it. They are happy now because they were not who they were before.

“I sent you a letter, yesterday,” he says.

She smiles. Fakir remembers the first letter, not knowing what to do with it, how to respond. Ahiru had had nudged his hand, and he had written back.

They are friends now because of her. Everything was because of her. He looks for her, and finds her watching them from the front step. She quacks gently, and he nods.

“Well, Rue, Mytho, I suppose this is farewell.”

“Yes,” Mytho says.

He and Rue climb into the carriage, and Rue leans out the side.

“Fakir?”

“Yes Rue?”

“I hope you find as much happiness as I have. I wish you joy.”

Fakir smiles and waves as the carriage disappears down the road. Once it is gone, Ahiru leans against his leg and quacks.

“I already have,” he says.

*

Once, there was a story that was real. It ended, but the characters lived on. Some went on with their lives as if nothing had happened. Some lived their greatest dreams. The prince and princess lived happily ever after. The heroes?

The tale of the heroes is still unfolding. 


End file.
